The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Although conventional beds are the most common devices for facilitating sleep, millions of people sleep or otherwise rest in a recliner or high backed chair each day. In some instances, the individual has medical issues that require they remain in a generally upright position, while other times the individual is traveling by car, bus or plane, for example where it is not possible to lie down. The strain on the body caused by resting in such upright positions can lead to very serious health concerns, including head and neck misalignment.
For this reason, there are a number of known travel pillows that are designed to cradle the head and neck of the user when sitting in an upright position. These pillows typically include a generally U-shaped member having internally located padding with a uniform thickness throughout. To this end, these pillows are designed to be positioned behind the user's neck, and extend forward across the shoulders. Unfortunately, however this arrangement functions to actively push the head of a user away from the back of the chair in which they are sitting. When this occurs, the user must actively push their head or neck against the pillow, to maintain their head in a somewhat reclined position, thereby causing head and neck strain and potentially serious medical issues over time. Moreover, these devices are typically formed as a “one size fits all” which does not allow a user to customize either the shape or thickness of the pillow to their particular comfort.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide a recliner and travel pillow that does not suffer from the drawbacks of the above noted devices.